Hi all, I have a question for you experts:
I have finally bought a new house with adequate space for a workshop 20’x 40′ and need some advice on tool selection. I already have a good set of hand tools, hand held power tools, clamps, layout equipment, etc. as well as a PC890 router kit with a good table. What I need advice on is the following tool purchases. what brands/models would you suggest for a good quality fairly high-end personal shop.
budget is $10,000
- Table Saw (looking strongly at PM66 5 HP model)
- Dust collection system (I want a good sized oue to handle dust as well as chips)
- Air compressor system
- Drill Press
- Band Saw
- Jointer
- Planer
- SCMS
- Mortiser
- spindle sander
I have spent 10 years doing small scale woodworking with hand and small power tools but would like to expand to doing furniture, cabinetry, etc.
What brands/models would you guys reccomend and is there anything else I am missing in basic tools (Lathe and scrollsaw are for later).
Thanks for your assistance.
Replies
Forget the 66 and get a sliding panel saw. There's some nice four foot models out there. It's a sheet goods world out there and there are a few sliders that take a dado so that will narrow the search. Rojek, KUFO, Felder, Knapp, Minimax
Get a horizontal slot mortiser and you will be way ahead of the game. Forget chisel mortisers unless you like doing things the hard and slow way. Laguna/Robland, Rojek, Invicta, etc
You might even consider a combo machine like the Felder, Minimax, etc. or at least a combo planer and jointer. Don't sweat at deciding your choice isn't the right one at the moment. You can always switch and upgrade. I've owned many different planers, jointers and saws over the years and will own many others in the future depending on moving and changing shop spaces.
PM66 5 HP model! Dang! 3 HP is enought! Well, unless ya runnin a saw mill!
Just funnin ya... Dang Electric around here is EXPENSIVE!
I heard the 3 HP might have problems with thicker hard woodsDave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Dave,
It seems to me the equipment setup for furniture is quite a bit different than cabinets ...which do you plan to do mostly? I'd think a good 2hp DC for that size shop and maybe a wide belt sander. A good workbench will probably cost around $500 if you make it yourself. Spray equipment is not on your list ...and maybe a booth?
I mostly plan on making furniture and things like that. I want to learn to make dressers, entertainment centers, tables, chairs, etc. as well as building cabinetry for my workshop, outdoor furniture, etc. It is a hobby, so I will likely delve in to most areas eventually (Inlay, carving, etc down the road)
I plan on a HLVP setup in the near future, just wanted to get the basic tools first to learn how to use them better.Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
"I want to learn to make" $10k is a lot for a lesson.Buy just the tools you need for the work you want to do.I have not used tablesaw for a year perhaps except to make some fixtures.I spend a lot more time with my bandsaw. Resawing lumber and cutting out curved legs.I can make 36" wide tables with my 13" benchtop planer. I use it less than 1/2 the time I use my band saw.I have a router because I put curved edges on my work. I have a thickness sander because I do a lot of work that is under 1/8" thick.A small drill press and hand tools.Perhaps less than $3000 in big tools.
I agree with you totally. I got all the toys but If Iwas starting over I would invest the 10,000(so Iwould have some profit) and buy tools to match thejob. My choice to start would be a good bandsaw, good (min)15"planer/molder (you can flatten boards with a sled) Shaper,Lathe and that sunhill 15" open end wide belt sander. the rest you can do with hand tools,routers. No more sheet goods than your gonna use a good assembly table and a festool set up would work. When you find out your gonna make a profit :) then you can add to.There are four boxes to be used in defence of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Please use in that order - Ed Howdershelt
Thanks for the reply. There will be no profit in this, it is strictly a hobbyDave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Actually I was a little off in my calculations now that I got a chance to measure the space. (it is about1150 sq ft)
Here is a proposed layout for the new shop with mostly scaled images of tools and where I plan to place them. My idea was major dimensioning tools in the right bay with wood storage, and sanding/assemby in the left bay
Any feedback would be great.
I am debating about reserving the back right corner of the left bay for a finishing area or adding on to the back where the current back door is.
The left bay has 11' ceiling on the left sloping up to 12' on the right. The right bay has 11' to rafters then a high peak above that.
Currently only 1 window, but I am considering adding 2 more windows on either side of the existing one. Would provide more light and a view of the pool outside the windows :-)Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Dave,
I gotta tell ya, from a hobby perspective, I haven't bought a whole sheet of ply in maybe 2 years or used a nail in over 3 years. I'll buy a bit of ply for a cabinet but, if I can do it, I'll resaw and glue up a panel. I think it's important to give yourself some time (and money)to evolve.
Basically you buy a saw to cut straight, a bandsaw to cut curves and a lathe to make round things. I suspect you'll want to do round things sooner than you think...
Thank all for the tips. I will likely get a lathe sooner rather than later. luckily for me, I am in a decent financial picture so I can buy good quality stuff that will last. I know I will like wood working because I have been dabbling in it since I was 12 and always dreaming of owning a good shop, but never had the time, space, or money.
I will definitely look into Onieda for dust collection and an air cleaner too.
I know, from reading, that I will need an HLVP sprayer down the road and a spray booth, but, the first year will likely be learning the new tools and building stuff for the shop, so finishing will come later (No plans on high-end finishes for my work shop stuff)
As I have progressed in my career, the money is becoming less of an issue, the space will be here in 1 month when the final closing on the new house is done, and the time is here since I am newly divorced and work out of the house :-)
I do not plan on making production work, just stuff for my house and to help express my creative side a little more.
Oh and the $10K is just the initial budget to get the major stuff, I will have more for lumber and additional tools down the road. (A big advantage of the single life ;-)
Also, as I have thought and remember more of what I have read over the years, a few more questions popped up:
I have heard it is good to put up wall board painted a light color for better light distribution. Is this the best thing or wood wooden walls be better.
Also, I know from experience in my little current shop , that concrete floors are hard on the aging back. is a hardwood type floor like I see in some shops in books really good, or is that overkill and mostly for looks??Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Dave,
The first time I really fell in love with woodworking was when I put some wood through a planer.. Take these somewhat grungy looking boards and find wonderful burls and swirls and figure that you can't imagine..
If you go buy your wood from a small local sawmill you get those sorts of oppertunities. If you buy all your wood from either the lumberyard or (horror of horrors) the woodworking store, wood cost will be such an issue that you won't want to take risks and be daring.. In addition the really great pieces will have all been sorted out before hand at twenty to thirty times the price..
One of the classic mistakes that too many make is trying to exactly replicate what has already been done.. By the time you buy the wood at retail from a lumberyard and the rest of the stuff you'll need to make something, your cost isn't dramatically lower than just buying the piece..
I'm glad to see that you mentioned being creative.. That implies risk and with risk there is a certain degree of failure.. avoid it if you can but if you have little invested in the materials you will quickly turn something into a learning step rather than a poorly made finished project.
Go to a small to medium sawmill and ask what they charge for a thousand bd.ft. of whatever wood they are sawing.. Ask for mill run prices..
Sure you'll never need a thousand bd.ft. of that but I'll bet that sooner or later you'll find someone willing to trade their................ for your ..........
Plus you get to go thru the pile and sort.. You can select all straight grain wood if that's your thing or highly figured wood if that excites you..
Bottom line it always pays to buy wood directly from the source.. Costs are a tiny fraction of what they are at retail but evenif they were the same it's worth it because you get the good stuff!
There are certain woods that you can't screwup with when they dry and others that are very fussy. that's part of the excitement and there are plenty of experts here who will tell you all you want to know about drying wood.
Now to answer some questions .
Wood walls won't reflect as much light as sheetrocked ones will if they are painted white.. you can offset that with more lights if you want.. However I found that I can buy wood so cheap that it's worth while for me to make fancy walls out of wood.. Raised panel fiddle back maple is my currant thing.. I bought my fiddleback for 10 cents a bd.ft. That's right, 10 cents! 12 inches by 12 inches by one inch thick all white rock hard maple "fiddleback"
sheetrock is more expensive!
Second wood floors are really a blessing over working on concrete, just don't think you can glue some wood down and be done with it!
Thank you for the tips.
Yes, I do plan on buying wood from a sawmill (If I can find one near Atlanta) or rough cut from a lumber mill.
I definitely like to be crateive as I dabble in sculpture and drawing already and really like some of the unusual things I have seen made out of wood. Another reason I am looking at carving too. Which brings another question. Can any one reccommend a good quality starter equipment for carving wood?
As for the wood floor, I have done some reading on that and I know it id more complex than gluing wood down. Wood a standard house type hardwood flooring work for rolling heavy equipment over it?Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Dave,
I've attached a picture of carving tools. This picture was provided by Lee Grindinger last year as a recommendation for a starter set. He is extremely good at the carving thing..and will help with any questions you might have.
Edited 4/13/2005 11:44 am ET by BG
Dave,
To find a starting point go to http://www.woodmiser.com they have a list of smaller sawmill owners in your area. go thru that list ansd start talking to some there. They're sure to let you know about the medium size mills in your area..
Lacking that you can look up pallets or wood pallets in Atlanta and ask them where they buy their wood from.. (or do what I did just look at an invoice on their desk)..
As for the roughly 2 1/4 inch by 3/4 inch flooring available from the box stores, sure if you want to spend the money!..
Cheapest I've seen it is around $1.99 a sq.ft. Don't even consider the "engineered" products they, won't hold up under the weight and pounding.
If you have a planner and a jointer you can buy white oak for about 80 cents a bd.ft. run it thru the planner and over a ship lap shaper and come up with a great hardwood floor that is almost an inch thick for 80 cents a sq.ft. plus your labor..
In a typical 20x40 foot shop your savings would amount to $960 plus sales tax.. plus the stuff at lowes/ home depot all seems to have grooves in it that's extremely annoying when you're trying to work on it..
Edited 4/14/2005 7:12 pm ET by frenchy
I call bulls&*$. I've read enough of your posts to know you are full of it. Prove me wrong fiddleback.
AEsarte,
Those who have seen my timberframe know thus far I've backed up all I said.. if there is anyone in the Twin Cities area please consider the above challenge as your invatation to look at my fiddleback or you might want to call the sawmill and ask them..
If anybody can teach me how to post pictures I eagerly await your arrival...
(thanks for a chance to brag further ;-)
If anybody can teach me how to post pictures I eagerly await your arrival...
If you can post, you can post a picture. Plug in your fancy digital cam to your usb port. Nav...
Ah forget it, you've been told before. It is ridiculously easy and for a man of your capabilities it has to be simple. But you don't want to have to post pics, do you?
I can see it now, unpainted sheet rock walls. Six board feet of 7$ maple in the background. Common Frenchy, its time to come clean. You are a wannabe.
Anyone out there (besides Frenchy under a different name) want to substantiate these ridiculous claims? Anyone seen his $.12 fiddleback walls "looking like the back of a stradivarius"? I know, I know, you didn't say that.
Just want to know if this guys for real, cause I'm moving if it's true. (I live in the north, only softwood and grown here. If you want hardwood you need to first find a money tree.
AESARTE
AEsarte,
Are you anyplace near the twin cites? (mpls/st paul) please come over.. lacking that perhaps you can go into the archieves and find the pictures of my timberframe..
Several have stopped by over the years and maybe they will verify.
hardwood isn't expensive here, you might call my sawmill (Johnson bros logging, information will have the number) in Cannon Falls Minnesota and ask to speak to Connie or Dan, they charge 80 cents a bd. ft. for custom sawn white oak.. they'll be glad to sell you all you want, you might also ask them what other hardwoods sell for as well. As for the 10 cent Fiddleback or the 17 cent black walnut, 15 cent 5/4 black ash or a pickup truck load of cherry for $20.00 those are good deals available to me because I've been buying from them since 1999 and have purchased well over 30,000 bd.ft.
What happens is when others place orders and fail to pick them up Connie needs to get rid of it somehow and often the only place that will take it is either the pallet shops or haul it to the dump..
As to the burled oak that is 22 inches wide that I have 917 bd.ft. of (and 9 6x6 timbers in my house), that was a fortunate find. they got a giant tree that was all burl and ran a few thru the sawmill only to discover the burl.. They intended to toss it all out since they couldn't even use it for the railroad crossties they sell..
Now they have their wood graded and if it grades low enough it's not worth sawing.. Burls don't grade.. Thus My offer of 40 cents a bd.ft. for it was met with joy (at the time that was the going rate for mill run white oak)
AE sarte
I remember back about a year ago, give or take a year, someone from BT went up to Frenchys place, posted pictures of it, better than he describes!
I cant vouch for the deals frenchy gets on wood but I remember back when we had some strait winds go through Iowa you could have all the walnut, oak, and misc. wood you wanted, cheap!
I have approx. 4000 bd. ft of walnut stickered in the upstairs of my garage, all I paid was the milling, the logs were there for the taking.
Deals are there and no doubt Frenchy stays on top of the mill to pick up those deals.
I know of a small mill in even a smaller town in Iowa, they sort out any of the figured maple. Its yours for $2 a bd ft. Not dried but its still $2 a bd ft.
Doug
Type of flooring is very important. It sounds like you won't have to be shuffling machines here and there, since you have enough space to spread them out where you want them. You might consider either the PVC(?) rolled flooring that's been written about in last month's magazines, or more cushy rubber flooring.
I have back problems, and the addition of those interlocking black rubber mats in my shop has been a godsend. I can work out there 5 times as long as in the past, and if I drop something (like my laminate trimmer, yesterday) it stands a much better chance of surviving. The only drawback is things on casters, but if the casters are big enough even that's not a problem.
Another advantage to a covered floor is the ease of clean-up. A rough concrete floor is a nightmare. A smooth concrete floor is better, but it's cold, and one friend of mine swears that his floor sweats concrete dust daily.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
"that concrete floors are hard on an ageing back"- I have worked on concrete floors all my life, but now in New Zealand I have a wooden floor, and it is super, it just feels much better. Also if there is a void you might prefer the idea of running your dust extractor piping
in there. And no more chisels and cast iron items exterminating themselves!
P.S. A respectable spindle(shaper) does a whole lot more than raised panels . Although I had routers before my spindles my woodworking took a quantum leap when I got a shaper for the heavy stuff- but it depends on what you want to do in there.
So Dave. Re: The concrete floor wood floor question. I worked 9 years on a suspended wood floor in a high end commercial cabinet shop. No problem. I got older and dumber and was laid off. I then went to a high end residential cabinet shop with concrete floors. Within one year I was in an orthopedic surgeon's office contemplating an ankle fusion to correct an injury from many years previous to both shops. The pain in my feet was intense. Did the concrete exacerbate the pain? I think so. If it were my shop I would build it over a basement so that I could put all the dust collection ductwork under the floor. You could also put other piping and wiring down there to clear up the clutter overhead. Make the thing strong though it will have to carry a lot of weight. Cheers, Dave
Thanks, I am going to go with the wood floor. The shop already exists on a slab so the basement option is not possible.
I have been doing some reading on this and have come up with the following plan:
2x10s on end 12" OC, 3/4" plywood on top, hardwood boards 5/8" or 3/4" on top of that. Seems like it should be strong enough to hold the weight.Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Dave,
I bought some of the Dri-Cote and have been trying it out over my conrete floor this winter...so far, its been quite effective...warmer, softer, wears well..but this is the first season. Late last year FWW did a review of various alternatives...recommended Dri- cote..cost is $1.25 a sq. ft.
This assumes your not going to run wires and ducts under the floor. If you want wires/ducts, I'd explore manufactured 'I'beams...with punch outs for the duct and wires...
Edited 4/23/2005 7:24 pm ET by BG
Sleepers that size would be plenty sturdy but it seems like some major overkill to me. I'd use 2x6's or 8's and bump the spacing up to 16 or 19.2 centers. I've got a wood flooor in my shop on 14" I joists, 19.2 centers, and 3/4 ply and it's plenty strong. I've got some hefty equipment up there and it's not a problem. Tom
Douglasville, GA
hmm, I thought maybe the 2x10 would give more room if I run the 6" DC ducting under it.
BTW: Howdy neighbor :-)Dave
I have a concrete floor. I bought a bunch of 3' x 3' rubber mats from HD. They are quite thick and have hex holes, they interlock together. These are like walking on air and the holes allow the fine dust to disappear. I don't have to walk on sawdust and track it around. Even when I haven't cleaned the shop for a while, it still looks neat. It's easy to vacuum up, when I get to it, and you can pull up one or two when you need to move a machine easily. High heel shoes are murder and one of my cats doesn't like them but my leg and back fatigue are no longer an issue.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Wouldn't it be cheaper to get a new pair of shoes with decent cushioning, rather than the wooden floor.
Yeah, but it wouldn't look as nice :-)Dave
Dave:
You may want to look into how they make gym floors. If I remember they use some kind of rubber spacer between the subfloor and the hardwood to cushion it more. Just a thought. Cheers, Dave
Thanks Dave
Dave
Hey Dave
Lucky guy...800 SF...wow. Here in CA I have to operate in 1 garage bay, about 200 SF.
A lot of folks just giving partial answers; I will try to outline some of my druthers, since the direction you are headed is exactly what I do, fairly successfully.
I got about 6 mo. ago, a Delta Unisaw w/50"Bies fence, ext. table and mobile base....3HP, 220V ought to do it for most anything up to 3" thick, which you probably won't do much of. I evaluated the PM 66 too before I bought and just couldn't justify the cost differential; it's now made overseas and is around $2500 fully loaded; my Delta Unisaw I got thru Amazon loaded for $1800 and free shipping.
Get a good bandsaw, say Jet or Delta, at least 14" and with a 1.5HP motor; get a riser block too so you can cut some thin widths for resawing, bookmatch or whatever.
Might consider too a vac press for doing some veneering; if you've ever seen David Marks on DIY's WoodWorks show, you'll know what I mean. He's a local boy up in Santa Rosa CA near me in Bay area.
Your router set-up sounds like is taken care of.
I have a reasonably good Jet mortiser and while it's maybe a little slower it works well. A multi-router is expensive and may be over the top for most, but get one if you must.
I have a 13" DeWalt planer that does nice job; and a 6" Delta jointer, that works well too.
These will do you for most hobby builders; if you can, get a 20" planer and an 8" jointer; lots of these tools are around on eBay or Craig's List as good used, too.
Well, good luck to you....
Terry
Thanks for the advise.
For the last 10+ years I have been operating in a 10x12 foot area. it has taken that long (and a divorce) to finally get what I want :-)
Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
I have a 3 hp General and I haven't met any wood it didn't handle with ease.
Alan - planesaw
By all means, get a saw with a sliding table as mentioned above. After spending a couple of hours watching Tom use his MiniMax, if I had the money that's absolutely the way I'd go. Plywood is no problem with that table helping out!
In fact, even without a sliding table, I'd still go with a European saw if at all possible. The riving knife is such an important feature, and from what I've read they have better dust collection and other features too.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Dave,
To me the most important tool you can own if you intend to do serious woodwork is a 24 inch planner. Get one of those with the spiral heads that are wisper quiet.
May I suggest that as a table saw you should buy one that will saw completely though a 4x4? Thus you should plan on a 12 inch saw not a ten inch blade.
In addition a 8 inch jointer is never wide enough for all of my needs, I would rather have a 12 inch if I could afford one and a 24 inch is even better..
A shaper is also a must 3 hp is kinda the minimum and don't for one second believe that a router table is just as good. It's not! Raised panels can be done sorta with a router table or done easily and quickly with a shaper.
Dust collection starts at 3 horsepower and needs to go up from there. if you plan on serious work you'll need a air cleaner as well. dust collection systems work fine if properly designed on the bigger stuff but the really fine stuff that you'll want to keep out of your lungs is best handled by those overhead aircleaner systems..
If money were no object I'd buy whatever strikes my fancy, the more expensive the better.. If I need to work with a budget I'd use Grizzly (and yes I do own grizzly stuff)!
I know $10,000 sound like a lot, but it will go fast, very fast if you spend it on sliding table saws. You have a good size shop and if you are not using sheet goods the PP66 will suit you fine. Build a large out feed table and you can still cut ply by yourself. Stick with good main machines, MiniMax bandsaw, 10" Oliver jointer, 15" to 20" planer. Unless you are sure of yourself, forget the shaper, its main use will be raised panel doors which can be done slower but safer on a router table which you have. With the little money left fill in as needed.
Bear
A Euro slider is not just about sheet goods! I hardly ever seriously cut into ply or MDF, but wouldn't work now without my Mini Max slider. It's a whole superior way to work!
And modern machines are designed to have a good extractor attached - don't attempt to do serious work without.
MalcolmNew Zealand | New Thinking
Onida makes a whole line of high quality dust collectors. They will design the whole system for you. They have a cyclone that drops out the heavy waste before feeding the remainder to a high efficiency filter.
The size of the collector has nothing to do with the number of tools or the budget you have. It depends on the dust collection needs of the worst tool you have and the distance. Multiple tools only matter if you will have more than one person using a tool at the same time often enough to matter. So, if you don't have any particularly large tools you will do fine with a moderate unit. In any case, having a knowledgeable supplier work out a system is the best way to go.
Some dust gets by all dust collectors because most tools cannot be fully enclosed. Table saws, for example, are particularly bad. So an air cleaner is helpful, too.
I wish I had your budget!
Dave,
Sounds like a great opportunity to put your shop together. For your budget you will be able to get some great tools and you have budgeted plenty to do it.
One thought. I find that I am always having to pinch pennies to buy more lumber. Its getting more expensive. Maybe you could take your $10,000 use eight to buy your tools and spend the rest on a lumber supply. When you find ggod deals on lumber you will have money to snatch it up.
Just a thought. Have fun.
The one machine I wish I had is a thickness sander, especially around those times I am working with wide figured boards.
I'd also go for an edge sander before I got a spindle sander; for the few times I need something like a spindle sander, I use a sanding drum on my drill press. Then again, I don't make a lot of chairs (where I would think you waould use it more).
Tell ya what, send the $10K my way and I'll see what works best.
Wow, Dave. These folks sure know how to spend your money. I guess they would suggest you get a Stradivarius for your first violin lesson too. Personally, I would go with a more conservative approach. Every tool you purchase will need accessories and cutters or blades. Professional furniture and cabinet shops have produced fine quality products for many years without all the fancy bells and whistles. It's knowledge and experience that makes a woodworker, not the latest gadget or extreme piece of equipment. Get your chops down on the basic stuff first, your dollars will go farther.
Table Saw (looking strongly at PM66 5 HP model) (3 hp Delta $1850)
Dust collection system (Jet canister $470)
Air compressor system (You need a big tank for HVLP $500)
Drill Press (Delta 16 1/2" $ 380)
Band Saw (enclosed stand Delta 1 hp 14" $540)
Jointer (Delta DJ 20 8" $1350)
Planer (Delta X 15" $1130)
SCMS (Dewalt 8" $400)
Mortiser (Delta 1/2 hp. bench top $240)
spindle sander (Delta Boss bench top $190)
Total for just these tools $7050
Add a lathe Delta 14" 3/4hp. $1175
Figure a number of blades and accessories such as rip, combo, crosscut and dadoes
Band saw blades, variety of drill bits, brad point, forstener
extra knives for jointer and planer
mortise chisels
blades for SCMS
spindles and paper for the sander
lathe tools
maybe an after market blade guard for the table saw
dust collection fittings
+ - $ 800
Total so far $9025.
I'd add an ambient dust collector JDS 750 $290
You will need a workbench and plenty of clamps and your $10,000 is now a shop to be envied.
I'm a Delta groupie. I've worked in a few shops and taught in a number of school shops. Having had direct experience with many brands, I've found Delta to be the the most trouble free. In a hobby shop, any of the commonly available brands will probably give excellent service. I think your production will have to reach the pro level before these recommendations fail to keep pace.
Thanks for the feedback, especially on the baldes and such. I know, from looking that good quality Forest dado blade s in the $500 range alone, so I have other money planned for that stuff on an on-going basis. The 10K is for the major tool purchase budget.Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
Get a Jointer/planer combination unit like the Rikon tp://rikontools.com/pjcombo.htm. Correctly dimensioned lumber is the foundation for every subsequent step. It is not practical without a J/P of equal width. This also seems to be very reasonably priced.
A couple people mentioned a sliding table saw, so I thought I'd toss my 2 cents' worth in. We had a MiniMax slider in a shop where I used to work and more often than not, it was used as a workbench. We never could keep the sliding table flush with the main table, it was severely underpowered and in general was just of a very low quality.
My suggestion would be Delta's Unisaw. The PM66 is a fine saw and will hold up well for a long time, it's just that I'm 100% sold on the Unifence. It's much more versatile than the Biesemeyer. If you will be working with sheet goods on a regular basis, you might want to consider one of the attachments that bolt on to a Unisaw or a PM66. I can't think of the manufacturer right now - maybe someone else can refresh my memory. I used one of these quite extensively for a number of years with good results.
Dave;
I agree with rick3ddd and forest girl that a panel saw is the way to go, however I have a vertical panel saw. It is a lot more efficient if you handle lots of sheet goods. A big plus is it does not take up much space and your 800 ft shop will fill up fast. You won't have to worry about the swinging arm being in the way. If you don't plan on handling lots of sheet good the 66 is a great saw. Good luck.
Regards,
Jim
These may be out of your budget range, but thought I would throw them in for consideration. I have done business with Andy before (the owner) and been satisfied. Nice industrial sliders for a reasonable cost. http://www.andreoumachinery.com/used_machines.htm
That's the SCMS Sliding Compound mitre saw
Nah, I have a 5 HP single-phase Unisaw. I don't know if it was overkill or not, but it was just a little more $$$ than the 3 HP. You those posts from people saying their saw bogs down when sawing thivk stock? I have no idea what they're talking about. ;)
RJT'
I too have a 5 hp single phase motor, I saw though 4x4's in a single pass, couldn't do that with a 3 hp..
(if you want to do this get the 12 inch saw not just a ten inch one)...
A must have that is seldom mentioned in here; a refrigerator to keep your beer cold so when the boys come over and talk shop you'll be hospitable............ and you wont have the bride saying to you " you're having ANOTHER beer???". What she don't know wont wrinkle her corset.
After reading these posts on must haves I feel like a guy with a 1" Johnson.......totally inadaquate.
Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Edited 4/21/2005 12:49 pm ET by CHERRYJOHN
Great advice too. however, I don't have to worry about the bride nagging me. She was interfering with my hobbies and enjoyment of lide. The hobbies won ;-)
She got the old small house, I get a new big house with big shop and FULL control of my money. Best thnig ever happened to me :-)Dave - Total Newby from Hiram GA
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